'A political stitch up': Tony Abbott says government has lost confidence in Gillian Triggs

Latika Bourke and Sarah Whyte

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has launched a full frontal assault on Human Rights Commission President Gillian Triggs saying she has lost the confidence of the government and her recent inquiry into children in detention was a "political stitch up".

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Government has lost confidence in Triggs: Abbott

The Prime Minister says the children in detention report was a "political stitch up".

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten pursued the Prime Minister over revelations from Senate estimates earlier on Tuesday. It was confirmed that Professor Triggs was asked to resign earlier this year by the secretary of the Attorney-General's department on behalf of the Attorney-General George Brandis. It was made clear she would be offered another job.

"Was the Prime Minister or his office aware that the Attorney-General had authorised this inducement?" Mr Shorten asked the Prime Minister.

Mr Abbott said the government has lost confidence in Professor Triggs because she had decided to hold an inquiry into the number of children in immigration only when the Coalition was in government, despite Labor's policies causing their imprisonment.

"It's absolutely crystal clear, this inquiry by the President of the Human Rights Commission is a political stitch up," he said.

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"It's a political stitch up and it will be called out by members of this government.

"I don't know what matters have been canvassed with Professor Triggs, all I know is that she was asked by Labor 'Do you understand it to be an inducement?' And she said, 'I'd prefer not to use that term.'

"If she'd rather not use that term, members opposite should not either."

Mr Shorten pressed on, asking Mr Abbott why Professor Triggs was offered another position if the government had lost confidence in her.

"I am not aware of what's been canvassed in Senate estimates and I am not aware of what may have been canvassed between the President of the Human Rights Commission and officials."

Senator Brandis had earlier on Tuesday told Senate estimates that he had lost confidence in Professor Triggs after her "error in judgement" in conducting an investigation into children in detention had opened the Human Rights Commission to accusations of bias. He said he had reached the decision in the weeks following her explanation to Senate estimate last October on the timing of the investigation during the Coalition government.

"I felt that the political impartiality of the Human Rights Commission had been fatally compromised", Senator Brandis said.

"I had reached the conclusion, sadly, that Professor Triggs should consider her position."

"I would be glad for Professor Triggs to be of service to the Australian government but I am afraid that the reputation of the commission will not survive the reputation of political partisanship, which I am sorry to say Professor Triggs [has].

At the same hearing Professor Triggs said she had been "very shaken and shocked" after a member Senator Brandis' office had asked her to resign in February.

Professor Triggs was appointed in July 2012 for a fixed five-year term.